We like that the University of Massachusetts Amherst BabyBerk food truck is serving a younger crowd this summer as it travels a regular route through town.
The food truck is delivering free meals to children through a partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Summer Food Service Program.
On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays through Aug. 10, BabyBerk makes stops ranging from 10 to 30 minutes at Rolling Green Apartments, Colonial Village, Butternut Farms, South Point, Village Park, Olympia Oaks, North Village and the Mill River Recreation Area. The truck is on the road from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 those days.
When UMass was asked earlier this year about participating in the program, “It was a one of those no-brainers — why not,” says Christopher Fisher, manager of food trucks and commissary dining at the university. “We have the capacity. We have the ability. There was a need.”
Not only is this the first year that UMass has been hired to distribute summer meals, it’s also the first time a food truck has been used to deliver them in Massachusetts, according to Frances Canning, who works for the state Department of Education and oversees the lunch program in Amherst.
The summer program, which has been operating since the 1960s, provides nutritious food to children and teens under age 18 who qualify for subsidized school lunches during the academic year. Cold lunches are served Mondays and Wednesdays, with a hot meal on Fridays.
The stops on BabyBerk’s route were determined by the Department of Agriculture based on census data identifying children at risk of hunger, Fisher says. Still, he adds that “anyone can come, anyone can get a meal” if they are younger than 18.
The Department of Agriculture reimburses UMass for the cost of the food, which is roughly $2 per meal. It’s the same food that is served in the campus cafeterias — much of it locally grown — and prepared in the university’s kitchen at Hampden Dining Commons. The bagged meals are refrigerated aboard BabyBerk, and about 200 are served each day.
“It’s rewarding. You’re feeding kids who really need the meals … they’re very appreciative,” says truck manager Paul Bshara.
Sending the bright yellow truck into the neighborhoods of Amherst during the summer raises the visibility of the university while helping to make sure that youngsters don’t go hungry.
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This is the eighth summer that the Selig family of Hadley has opened its home to a visitor from the Bronx — Adam Barea, whose travel expenses are paid for by the nonprofit Fresh Air Fund.
Adam, now 14, started in 2011 with a one-week visit, and this summer was with the Seligs for 2½ weeks, split between their home in Hadley and a beach house in Biddeford, Maine. Christine and Tom Selig have two children, Tanner, 14, and Alexis, 12.
Adam and Tanner have bonded like brothers, and stay in touch through Snapchat during the rest of the year. Reflecting on their time in Maine, Christine Selig says, “It’s nice to see two 14-year-olds take a daily walk on the beach together. I would see them turn to each other laughing.”
For his part, Adam enjoys his time in Hadley. “I like it here. There’s more space. The city is fun, but it’s a little noisy.”
That’s proof that the Fresh Air Fund succeeds in the mission it’s had since 1877 — providing outdoor summer adventures for children from New York City.
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We’re impressed that a team from the Northampton Cycling Club finished the WOW Cyclothon, an 844-mile cycling relay race around the outer rim of Iceland during June.
The four local cyclists completed the course in 48 hours, 38 minutes, 45 seconds, finishing 11th of 12 teams. But how they compared with other teams wasn’t the point. “When we set out to put a team together we weren’t trying to win. One of the guys is 69 years old,” says Carson Poe of Northampton. “From a team gratification and satisfaction perspective, we did really well. No one left left disappointed.”
Congratulations to Poe, Roger Stawasz, Jonathan O’Keeffe and Eric Baumann, as well as their drivers Wally Hudzikiewicz and Trevor Plum, for the stamina they showed in achieving their goal.